Tour de France 2023 jersey guide: Who wears the yellow jersey? Green, polka dot and white jerseys explained

The Tour de France is undoubtedly the biggest event on the cycling calendar. Held over 21 race days across three weeks, the world's best riders descend on France looking to make their mark. The likes of Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) are expected to battle it out for the overall win in 2023 after their thrilling tussle last year, while Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) arrives with a mission of winning a record 35th stage.

Ad But if you're new to the sport, you might be wondering what the different jerseys – yellow, green, polka dot and white – mean and who they are for. Don't worry, we're on hand to help out… Tour de France'He won't be happy' — The Breakaway team discuss Cavendish prospects ahead of Stage 4AN HOUR AGO Who wears the yellow jersey in the Tour de France? The yellow jersey, also known as the maillot jaune, is worn by the rider with the fastest total time across the entire race. It is also awarded to the race's overall winner after the final stage on the iconic Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Only the strongest riders will wear this jersey – those who can climb, time trial and, perhaps most importantly, stay out of trouble. Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain have all won the Tour a record five times. Who wears the green jersey in the Tour de France? The green jersey, also known as the maillot vert, is worn by the rider leading the points classification.

Points are awarded for intermediate sprints and stage finishes. The rider first across the line will receive the maximum allocation, with points awarded all the way down to the 15th rider. Points are awarded as follows: Flat stages: 50 points, 30, 20, 18, 16 (descending down to 15th position) Hilly stages: 30